The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-08-05
IN A TIGHT PLACE.



Out OF It.
Nv first introduction to Dakota was
hardly one 70 impress either--that il.
tbe Territory or myself with any very |
Great liking for the other. But we
we're both young at that time and Dar
lota. at least. has greatly improved.
Il was early in the '7Os-fiftecn
Years ago--that i found myself on =
Missouri river steamboat leaving
Omaha, Ncb., and headed up stream.
was not altogether clear as TO where
! was going. but ! had an idea that
would stay by the boat so long as my
money held which would not Be
very long. l hoped at least TO reach
Dakota Not that had any particu-
lar reason for going TO Dakota more
than TO Texas; but on the other hand
had Texas been rs near ! should GER
tainly have been a. apt to have gone
there.
About all l know--or any one else.
for that understanding Dakota
was that Yankton. in the extreme
southeastern part. was the capital and
that there was q little settlement In
that region, a little moro In the north
eastern corner. with perhaps . very
few scattering settlers along the rivers
elsewhere and = number Of forts each
with few United States troops.
The reason that ! came To think !
was going to expire the West was
that several weeks before l had run
away from home with that determine
tion-not very good reason. but the
only one / had. My reason for rum
ming away from home was even less
obvious. But was away and too
proud to 60 back-though subsequent
events reduced my stock Of pride sew
cral hundred per cent. If l may be al
lowed to put it somewhat strongly.
was almost beginning 70 consider my
self man. though have since looked
back at the time calmly and could not
remember that any one else ever acted
a. IL he considered me any thing mors
than boy.
On the occasion Of which 1 write th'
boat Sadie Bolton plowed her way III
the thick. muddy waters Of the Mis-
souri,. The mate sworc It the deck
hands As occasion required. the pilo
swore at the river. the engineer swor'
At the fireman and pilot by turns. an'
the captain occasionally appeared an'
swore At things in general.
Being Of an inquiring turn Of mind
explored the lower deck and got int
conversation with one Of the crew
From him learned that Buck Hawk
FMS was on board. had heard Of Buc
Hawkins IS the most dangerous ma
in that part Of the country. He stayc
up the river in the neighborhood
Yankton most Of the time. but l III
derstood from my informant had bee
down to St Louis on some sort Of bus
ness and was returning to Yankton.
felt anxious to sec him - soon IS
found he was on board. The man tol
me doubtless could do 80 II woul
take the trouble to hunt up the bar.
he and some friends were INDUCING
. poker game in IL Immediate vicinit,,
soon found the place, and 70 m
whispered inquiry : spectator informs
me which Of the four gathered arcur
the card-table was Hawkins ! W
somewhat surprised. as he did n
look As l had pictured him. He VI
small. not over five feet and seven
eight inches, and evidently wcigh'
Less than one hundred and AZ
pounds. He had brown hair and gr'
eyes, and although his face show
determination and force. there W
nothing Of tho reckless dcspcra'
which knew he had the rcputati'
Of being. watched the game I
some time. / learned that the 9th
three were al professional gamble
and that Hawkins was losing. i
room was full Of spectators, -
seemed to possess interest for eve
one on the boat. Everybody expect
trouble. There were great stacks
chips and money on the table. q
Hawkins and the gambler oppos
him each had : heavy six-shooter lyi
Oh the table IN front Of him. while I
Others had similar weapons In IN
bclh Every one knew that
gamblen were NOT playing > SOUS
game and that Il Wa only questi
81 time whom they got All Of Hawki
money. That was the time trout
was expected. He had been drink
heavily. and should he detect tn
cheating Il was known he would
hesitate 70 shoot them all unless q
shot him first.
All tho afternoon / remained close
the table watching the game intent
! had become almost a. much inter-
cd - the players. Hawkins moi
wn slowly but surely going. o